Reporter concerned about WX balloon hazard reported on airway at 30000 ft.

Attributes
ACN	334997
Time
Date	199604
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jhw
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	334997
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Another aircraft reported a WX balloon between FL310 and FL330 30 NM east of jamestown, ny. ATC did not know of it. No NOTAMS were posted and the aircraft reported he couldn't pick it up on TCASII. I was under the impression these balloons were TCASII visible. If not it sure would be a good idea -- at those altitudes and speeds I'm not sure one would see one in time to avoid. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated he was flying a B737- 200. He did not know what kind of airplane the other aircraft was other than it was an airliner. The reporter stated he used to work for the FAA. He thought WX balloons were supposed to deflate above 20000 ft. He thought there was a transponder on balloons that would inform the center and the TCASII of their location -- if not, he thought there should be. The observer of the balloon stated the color was blue or translucent and quite large as seen to pass about 1000 ft below. The reporter stated he was in VMC conditions and the gross weight of the B737-200 is 109000 pounds.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR CONCERNED ABOUT WX BALLOON HAZARD RPTED ON AIRWAY AT 30000 FT.

Narrative: ANOTHER ACFT RPTED A WX BALLOON BTWN FL310 AND FL330 30 NM E OF JAMESTOWN, NY. ATC DID NOT KNOW OF IT. NO NOTAMS WERE POSTED AND THE ACFT RPTED HE COULDN'T PICK IT UP ON TCASII. I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THESE BALLOONS WERE TCASII VISIBLE. IF NOT IT SURE WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA -- AT THOSE ALTS AND SPDS I'M NOT SURE ONE WOULD SEE ONE IN TIME TO AVOID. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED HE WAS FLYING A B737- 200. HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT KIND OF AIRPLANE THE OTHER ACFT WAS OTHER THAN IT WAS AN AIRLINER. THE RPTR STATED HE USED TO WORK FOR THE FAA. HE THOUGHT WX BALLOONS WERE SUPPOSED TO DEFLATE ABOVE 20000 FT. HE THOUGHT THERE WAS A XPONDER ON BALLOONS THAT WOULD INFORM THE CTR AND THE TCASII OF THEIR LOCATION -- IF NOT, HE THOUGHT THERE SHOULD BE. THE OBSERVER OF THE BALLOON STATED THE COLOR WAS BLUE OR TRANSLUCENT AND QUITE LARGE AS SEEN TO PASS ABOUT 1000 FT BELOW. THE RPTR STATED HE WAS IN VMC CONDITIONS AND THE GROSS WT OF THE B737-200 IS 109000 LBS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.